What Every Pet Parent Should Keep in Their Car

If you are like me, most of your weekend or weekday activities include doing something with your dog (As a matter of fact, I took Rooney to a baby shower this past weekend because it was in a park).

Examples Include:

Your dog accompanying you on road trips

Your dog accompanying you on hiking trips

Your dog commuting to work with you

Your dog attending all family functions

If any of the examples above speak to you, you want to make sure that you are prepared while traveling with your dog in the car. Therefore, I put together the following list:

Water

Whether you are going hiking or just taking your dog to work with you, it's important tokeep a water bottle in your car so that your dog stays hydrated even on the hottest days. One of my favorite products of all time is the Gulpy! This is a travel water bottle that I keep with me in the car for Rooney. What I love most about it, is that I can quickly provide him with water while we are still in the car without making a mess. Not to mention, it's convenient and an overall very useful on-the-go water bottle.

Snacks

Sometimes when I leave the house, I forget to bring treats with me, and I always end up kicking myself for it. Whenever I go anywhere with Rooney, there comes a time when it would be great to encourage him with treats. For example, it would be great to distract him on a hiking trip if we see cattle (Rooney is a little unnerved by cattle and tends to bark at them), or even desensitize him to cattle by providing him treats while near them.
I have decided the best way to make sure I don't forget treats when I leave the house is to keep treats in my purse.

We bought a new car in this year, and we went with light colored seats to hide the dog hair (which there is a lot of). However, Rooney also has a tendency to get very muddy paws, so a car seat cover is a must for travel!

Extra Leashes

It's always a good idea to have an extra leash on you when you are doing anything with your dog. Why? Because, without a leash, you could be caught in some pretty tough situations (i.e. your leash breaks and your dog takes off after wildlife, or a cyclist, or anything). Additionally, you might see a stray dog off leash, and it will be safer for both your dog and the stray dog if you carry an extra leash.

Towels

Towels are an essential item for me because Rooney loves mud and dirt. Plus, he is so low to the ground (Corgi) that he picks up extra mud and dirt, so to make sure he doesn't track it everywhere we go, I keep a towel in the car at all times. It also serves as a blanket if he wants to lay down somewhere and there isn't enough grass.

Pet First Aid Kit

Seatbelt/Crate

Last, but certainly not least, your dog should be wearing a seatbelt or be safely secured in a crate. Even a small fender-bender can send your dog flying in the wrong direction and potentially cause your dog serious injury. A few months ago, the Center for Pet Safety completed research to determine the safest pet crates and pet harnesses, and I think those reports are definitely worth checking out.
So that's my list! Is there anything you make sure to have in the car?
Rachel Sheppard
Rachel Sheppard is the author and founder of My Kid Has Paws. She is a Social Media Manager, blogger, corgi mom, animal lover, volunteer, graduate student, and shoe collector.
After graduating from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science & Management, she worked as a Veterinary Assistant for 3 years. Her daily interactions with pet parents inspired her to start her blog focused on pet health, pet rescue, and pet products. She has a true enthusiasm for veterinary medicine and animal science, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with pet parents.

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